Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-07
Our Great Young Herses.

Too early in the season yet to write
authoritatively. The Circuit has bare
ly commenced, and yet SO many have
distinguished themselves that they
are worthy of high place in the
equine temple of fame. Nothing sem
sational, perhaps, but performances
worthy Of more than mere descrip-
ton of the races.
1t is difficult to award the first place,
although, SO far, by the standard OF
races actually won, Alfred S. has the
premiership. Stamboul, Lot Slocum,
Menlo, Lille Stanley, Jane l.. and
others have obtained a commanding
position.
OF those mentioned Alfred S. is the
only one which has commenced his
career with this year, A. d. 1887. He
has won every race he has started in,
and that SO easily that none of them
gave measure Of his capacity. The
only race we have had the pleasure of
seeing him trot was at San Jose, and
there was not line in that to indicate
what he could do. An unfavorable
start did not make any difference.
Two lengths the "worst of it" was
made up before 100 yards were gone
over, and he would trot steadily, ever
SO far behind, and lead at the critical
moment. That critical one hundredth
part of a second when the horses go
under the wire,'' and Alfred S. has
been there first every time in all of his
races. 1t may not be out of place to
say that his breeder, H. w. Scale, OF
Mayfeld, has bred many colts that,
with proper tuition, might have APP
proached-perhaps excelled-this best
son out of Elmo. We call him, then,
the best son, as Overman did not show
so much with the same amount OF
"handling." He has yet to get in the
"teens," though in all probability it
is only when put to the test.
Menlo is unquestionably wonder
full horse. We write wonderful.
knowing how many horses and men
who have been pronounced wonderful
which afterwards were proven SO lit
tie worthy of the application. When
he trotted in 2:211a, two years ago,
that was thought wonderful. 1t was
good, and now there are people who
say that he has not come up their
expectations.
Two minutes, two twenty-one and
half seconds is assuredly good for
fve-year-old, but few people are
aware that to reduce this record is a
troublesome affair. So troublesome
that trainers of intelligence are more
bothered with quarters of seconds be-
meath that mark than whole handfuls
of the sixtieth part of minute above
it. He was only beaten in the fastest
heat by so short margin that the
time was virtually his.
We feel pleasure in congratulating
his owner, Mr.. Dwyer, on the pos
session of so good horse.
Lot Slocun has surely done we'll.
How much better is within his Ca
pacity can only be known to his man
ayers. He won at st. Jose in straight
heats, all in the even tine of 2 2:2O.
He was within his speed at ill points
of the race. At Petaluma this week
he won again in unbroken heats, trot-
ting in 2:1SA, 2:194, 2:201. We
did not see the race, but people who
were present tell us it was repetition
of the San Jose affair, Slocum win
ming, to all appearances, as he pleased.
lIlC llIIllU Vi LIS tDlllty iiio HOO DCch
reached, and meeting between him
and Arab later in the year will be an
event worth going miles to see.
Stamboul redeems the promise OF
his four -year-old year, when he made
a record of 2:23, by scoring 2:194 in
his first race of the season. Another
great five-year-old, the first son of
Sultan to enter the 90 list. Fast,
game, resolute, he is likely to achieve
greater things before the year goes
out. We have often had occasion to
congratulate the genial and estimable
owner of Sunny Slope over his sue
cess. We salute him now with even
more heartiness, if possible, than ever
before.
The triumphs of Jane L. are pleas
ing, both on account OF her merits as
a trotter and the deservings OF the
quiet gentlemen who owns and drives
her. He is Il long way from home,
and perhaps has to battle against
combinations that are always present
when an important race is up; but
speed. stamina and perseverance
have given Mr.. Lindsay and his mare
a fair share of the spoils.- Breeder
and Sportsman.